VegetableOnion
Crimson Forest Onion
Bunching Onion
Crimson Forest Onion is a stunning perennial bunching onion that delivers both visual drama and distinctive flavor. With its striking red and green coloration, this open-pollinated heirloom reaches 14-24 inches tall and matures in just 60-69 days. Hardy from zones 2 through 9, it's as cold-tough as it is colorful, thriving in full sun across gardens, raised beds, greenhouses, and containers. The unique flavor profile and high-yielding nature of this Allium fistulosum cultivar make it a genuine treasure for gardeners seeking something beyond standard onions.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam; Tolerates Moderate Fertility
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
—
Width
2 in
Spacing
60–69
Days to Harvest
PeriodPerennial
TypeClump
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-9
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
Perennial
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The red and green striping of Crimson Forest Onion catches the eye immediately, bringing color and flavor to any plate it graces. This perennial bunching onion produces abundantly with a genuinely unique flavor that sets it apart from ordinary bunching varieties. Its frost-hardy nature means it survives and regrows across most of North America, from zone 2 through zone 9, while its compact spacing of just 2 inches between plants allows you to grow dozens in surprisingly little space.
Common Uses
Crimson Forest Onion's red and green coloration makes it a striking addition to fresh salads, grain bowls, and vegetable platters where visual appeal matters. The bunching growth habit and mild, unique flavor suit it to quick-cooking applications like stir-fries, soups, and garnishes. Its perennial nature in cold climates means you can harvest continuously through the growing season, treating it as a reliable kitchen staple rather than a one-time crop.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Late Spring
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start Crimson Forest Onion seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost, maintaining soil temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they are established and soil has warmed.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil is workable. Space plants 2 inches apart in rows 15 inches apart. This variety tolerates cool spring soils and is frost-hardy once established.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds into garden soil or containers after the last frost date, or in late summer for fall-through-spring harvests in mild climates. Sow thinly and thin seedlings to 2 inches apart.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting Crimson Forest Onion 60-69 days after sowing, cutting the outer leaves and stalks as needed for continuous harvest. You can harvest individual stalks by snipping them at the base, allowing the plant to regrow new shoots. Because this is a perennial, you can maintain a productive patch for years by harvesting selectively and allowing some foliage to remain. For larger bulblets at the base, allow some plants to mature fully before digging if desired.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Allium L.
Family
Amaryllidaceae
Genus
Allium
Duration
Perennial
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)CAN (N)
History & Origin
“Crimson Forest Onion is an open-pollinated, heirloom bunching onion variety preserved within the Allium fistulosum species, a lineage of perennial onions grown for generations. The specific breeding or preservation story of this cultivar is not documented in available sources, but its classification as a heirloom and open-pollinated variety signals that it has been selected and saved by gardeners for its distinct red-green coloration and reliable flavor characteristics.”